A French girl's musings…

Pretty Little Liars Midseason Finale was a scream

It has been such a hectic week so far, but last night I managed to catch up with PLL and take 20 minutes out of my busy schedule to write my thoughts on it. So…..

Hats off to Pretty Little Liars Midseason finale: it was goooood. The episode started at the end, like it’s done so often before – the liars were hugging, distraught. We knew somebody was going to die so this was no surprise: we just couldn’t tell who it was from that opening scene.

Cut back to earlier: The liars think Ali is A, and a real sociopath to boot so they enlist Mona’s help. Ali took a lie detector test at the police station and it seems her aim in doing so was to deflect any suspicions of her involvement in Bethany’s murder onto Spencer. Poor Spence, things are not looking good for her: a high price to pay for having an addictive personality.

I’ve always said that PLL is pretty much about a psycho who plays with “live” Barbie dolls and this was confirmed by Mona in this episode. None of the titles she had for the liars were flattering: Emily is “the loyal one?” Why not just say that she’s the “stupid one” while we’re at it? As for Hanna being the “admiring one”, come on, she deserves more than this.

But anyway, as I said a few weeks ago in a previous post, you have to suspend belief in reality when watching PLL – a fact proven yet again in this episode as Toby graduated from Police Academy in absolute record time. Like, 3 weeks give or take.

We discovered Mona has a mother: I personally thought she lived all alone in a magical castle full of high tech gadgets but apparently not. Why do the liars need Mona? Well, because “she’s Mona.” That’s the answer we were given twice, like Mona is some kind of super-hero who can come to the rescue in the most dire of situations. I would have thought Spencer would be offended: Mona is a hot contender for the smart crown in Rosewood. There was actually a slight awkward/bonding moment as both Spence and Mona quoted Churchill. Those two girls should have started working together ages ago – they obviously would have made quite a team.

In any case, a full-on assault on Radley was organised. That place really is the worst ever when it comes to security, uniforms that date back 50 years and I’ve said it before – the fact that it’s so goddam dark in there. Hanna fancied herself as quite the little spy and in a weird moment, we discovered that she’s actually a lot smarter than people give her credit for. This shouldn’t have come as a surprise: Hanna may not be cultured but she sure ain’t dumb – I’ve always recognised her potential.

The ‘loyal’ one was in charge of keeping Ali occupied. Which she did convincingly enough for 5 minutes before she fell for the stupid trick of a request for a cup of tea. Please! Really? You’re supposed to be keeping an eye on her and you leave the room without your phone? Why has nobody got a lock on their phones? I’ve noticed that a few of the liars use iPhones, it’s really not difficult to disable message preview, can someone please tell Emily? The fact Ali could read Em’s messages on lock-screen was almost as bad and unrealistic as that time we found out Spencer didn’t have her laptop password protected. But I digress.

Ali soon left Em’s house looking affronted by the betrayal (lol) just as Paige was arriving with a cup of chicken soup: the international remedy for colds, coughs, and “scratchy throats”. Paige wasted no time in following Ali and the gruesome twosome who were driving her (don’t get me started on those twins: Cindy and freaking Mindy ffs! You couldn’t make it up).

Paige later informs the liars that Ali has built “an army”, a fact first revealed by Lucas – who, in my humble opinion, has been shamefully underused this season. Still, the actual existence of Ali’s “army” proves that things must be really boring in Rosewood and people can’t have much of a social life. By the way, the most ridiculous moment of the entire episode was Ali claiming that she saw Emily’s hair rise on her neck as she entered her bedroom. Will you give it up you egotistical, manipulative and arrogant bitch? Of course you did NOT see any such thing. Emily’s hair is long and thick and covers her neck and back completely with its glossy waves. Her neck is freaking in-vi-si-ble! Just…..shut the hell up Ali, really.

The Radley expedition proved that Ali’s mother was having an affair with Bethany’s dad and that Bethany was aware of it…..blah blah blah Spence and Mona “borrowed” tapes and written records and made it out just in time for Spence to call Toby and cause him to have a crash. Just let that be a warning to everyone about the perils of driving and using your phone at the same time. Was Toby the one to die, thought viewers?

But no, he is next seen with his leg in a cast, safe and sound but inconveniently immobilised while his new colleagues turn up and arrest his girlfriend. Not good…..but better Spence than anyone else, both her parents are lawyers after all.

Then we got to that amazing climax, with Mona kissing her mum goodbye and promising to be on the road “within the hour”. We just knew the poor girl was never going to get anywhere near that road and sure enough, just after she’s called Aria to tell her that “Ali is A and she can prove it” – she is brutally murdered by the predictable black hoody. Hmmm, let that be a lesson to you right there:never ever triumph in front of a mirror – you’re just asking for trouble.

What a shame that just as we were finally getting to know Mona a little better – she has a mother, she likes to read on her cute bed while listening to 1940’s French songs – she makes that dramatic exit from the show.

Who was wearing the hoody? Blond hair was seen spilling over the sides but that is probably a red herring, again. Ali seems to be the logical answer but I’ve learnt to trust nothing I see in PLL.

Next thing we know we’re back to the beginning/end of the episode with the liars hugging each other for comfort. Ali is seen in the background, looking totally untroubled at best, and smirking with delight & guilty as sin, at worst. The most shocking scene was of course that shot of Mona in the boot of the car. I must say, it was incredibly creepy – the way the camera zoomed in on her face, than her eye….. I’m not ashamed to admit it gave me the chills.

So, Ali is more rotten than ever, Mona is dead and Spencer has been arrested. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

To end on a positive note, all the relationships are back on track. Paige forgave Emily even faster than I thought she would, Aria has stopped feeling sorry for herself and has given Fitz a proper chance and Haleb seems to be experiencing pure bliss right now. Now isn’t that nice? Shame about Mona – I’m glad I’m not the one who is going to have to tell Mike.

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I'm French and I like to write. I'm opinionated, a real bookworm, obsessed with words, interested in Fashion & Style. I don't follow the crowd and I'm drawn towards *unique* people who have things to say. Intelligence is sexy and brains really do it for me.
I'm also a qualified journalist, in possession of the NCTJ diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists in the UK.